Knowing The Word in Luke 5:1-11, Jesus Calls the First Disciples

Only Luke refers to the Sea of Galilee as a “lake.” This lake is a body of water 700 feet below sea level, 13 miles north to south, and 7 miles east to west. One question you may ask is how did Jesus know Simon so well that he could use his boat? The answer comes from John’s Gospel where Peter and Jesus first encounter each other at the Jordan River soon after Jesus’ baptism by John. Jesus and Peter may have walked the road along the Jordan River north to the Galilee over several days and knew one another well by the time Jesus so easily commandeers Peter’s boat. Another question you may ask is why does Jesus direct Simon to go fishing? Night was the best time for fishing. Does Simon think Jesus the carpenter knows more than he the fisherman? Jesus’ words have power over those who believe in him. And soon there are so many fish that both fishing boats begin to sink. This is no normal fishing trip—wrong time of day and too many fish characterize this miraculous experience. In response, Peter uses the titles Master and Lord for Jesus. For Peter, Jesus is the Master whose orders must be obeyed and the Lord whose holiness causes moral agony to the sinner. Luke is the only gospel writer to tell us of the business relationship of Peter to brothers James and John.

1 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

Prayer: God, I want thy guidance and direction in all I do. Let thy wisdom counsel me, thy hand lead me, and thine arm support me. I put myself into thy hands. Breathe into my soul holy and heavenly desires. Conform me to thine own image. Make me like my Savior. Enable me in some measure to live here on earth as he lived, and to act in all things as he would have acted. Ashton Oxendem, 1808-1892